MEDS 2026
Pronouns: she/her/ella
Bio
Ixel is a UCSB alumnus with a Bachelor's degree in Ecology and Evolution and a minor in Spatial Studies. As a first-generation college student, she aims to diversify representation in the environmental industry. Her decision to pursue a master's degree in Environmental Data Science comes from her desire to help combat environmental problems in underserved communities.
Ixel has a strong foundation in developing scientific methods, interpreting data, and finding solutions to solve problems. As an undergraduate, Ixel worked with Dr. Jesús Maldonado at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in the Center for Conservation Genomics lab. She received the Smithsonian Institute Internship award, working in a wet lab and using advanced genomic techniques to sequence DNA from the endangered river otter in Chile and the invasive North American mink. She presented her findings at the 2025 Evolution conference and was subsequently awarded the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution program scholarship.
Through the MEDS program, Ixel will develop her data science skills to analyze complex ecological data and use her experience to aid environmental conservation and management efforts.